Process and apparatus for converting hydrocarbons



LSEQQTIS Aug: 2 F932.- A. OBERLE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONS Original Filed July 2, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet Ji? 2? far." \flzfrecf (02% ??49,

5y MKM a W 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. OBERLE Original Filed July 2, 1923 l a j Aug 2, 1932.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONS A. OBERLE figsfiggwg PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDEQCARBONS Aug. 2 N32.

Original Filed July 2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet ,1 9/0 2? '60)"; jffrea/ @brie,

Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED OBERLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS

' PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

SIGNCR T UNIVERSAL CQRPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA OIL PRODUCTS COM- PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYIDROGARIBQNS Applicationflled July 2, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in a process and apparatus for converting'hydrocarbons and refers more particularly to the destructive distillation of hydrocarbon products to extract therefrom the lower boiling point oils having the characteristics of gasoline and the like.

Among the objects of the invention are to relatively carbon free oil removed from the varporizingchamber, whereby one portion may be treated in a coking still,.: while the other is recycled and retreated for-the lighter fractions remaining in the oil.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic end view of the apparatus with parts broken awayand parts in section. Fig.2 is an enlarged end view of the conversion tower, coking still. Fig. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the valve arrangement between the conversion tower and coking still. Fig. dis a view taken along the line 5 in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a'detail view of the plate between the tower and coking still through which the residual substances pass.

. Referring to the drawings, 1 is a heating coil mounted in a furnace 2 connected by a transfer line 3 to the conversion tower 4. The upper portion of the conversion tower designated as H, consists ofv a fractionating ar-- rangement hereinafter explained in detail. The lower portion designated as 4-6 comprises an expansion tank in which a liquid level is maintained. Below the conversion tower is the coking still 5 in which the residual substances are treated. The fractionating tower is connected by vapor-line 6 to a water condenser the latter beingconnected by a line 8 to the receivin tank 9. At 10 is shown an absorption tank into which the raw oil is introduced and through which the uncoiidensable gas passes.

heating coils and Serial No. 848,917. Renewed April 8, 1927.

Describing now the method of operating the process, the oil to be treated is introduced from any convenient extraneous source through the line 11, and is permitted to rise in the absorption tank overflowing through the pipe 12 into the line 13 communicating with the suction pump forces the oil through the line 15 in order that it may be supplied either into the top of the dephlegmator through the line 15a controlled by a valvelfi, or through the line 15?5 into the pool of oil maintained in the conversion chamber. The line 15-b is controlled by a valve 17. If charged into the top ofthe'fractionating tower, the charging stock is utilized as a refluxing medium, being introduced by the ended cylinder 20. This cylinder has a perforated bottom shown at 21, which supports balls. 22 of a catalytic material such as aluminum, nickel or other metallic substances. The lower skirt of the cylinder is flared as shown at 23, the bottom edge being immersed in a pool of oil maintained in a trough shown at 24. If charged into the top of the fractionating tower, the charging stock will percolate down over the perforated pans through the catalytic balls and perforated bottom 21, thence dropping into the pool of oil maintained in the lower portion of the tower. 'If charged directly through the line 15-12, it will e introduced to the pool without be1ng utilized as a refluxing medium. The oil is drawn from the pool through the curved drawofi pipe 25 which has interposed therein a carbon trap 26. The oil is thence passed to the pump 27 which discharges it through the line 28 regulated by a valve 29 into the heating coil 1. In the heating coil, the oil is raised to a conversion temperature passing from the coil through the transfer line 3 and introduced into the pool of oil in the conversion tower at a point just below the fractionating portion of the tower. On being introduced to the-conversion tower, the vapors evolved rise, passing up through the catalytic material and perforated pans, thence downwardly through the channel 30 formed by positioning the closed top, recepside of the pump 14. This spray pipe 18 into the perforated pans 19 positionedin the open inc tacle or container 31 over the-inner cylinder, leaving a space between the outer .wall of the inner open ended cylinder and the inner wall of the closed top receptacle 31. The vapors passing downwardly through the channel pass out from the open bottom and rise a am through the channel 32 between the outer s ell of the container and the wall of the tower. In this passage are positioned a plurality of circular pans 33. The vapors then rise into the top of the tower and are withdrawn through the vapor line. Any reflux condensate collecting in the upper portion of the tower will flow over the top of the container or receptacle 31 and drip down over the pans 33, finally collecting in the pool collected in the trough 24. The overflow from this trough drips back into the pool-maintained in the conversion chamber. The vapors withdrawn from the top of the tower pass oil through the line 6 to the water condenser 7 and are collected in the distillate receiving tank 9 after passing through the pipe 8 connected with the discharge end of the condenser coil.

The receiving tank is equipped with a pressure gauge 34, a gas relief line 35 controlled by a valve 36 which communicates with the lower ortion of the absorption receptacle into w ich the char ing stock is introduced. Thus the uncondensa le gas is relieved of any lighter oil fractions contained therein by being passed through the body of raw o il charging stock contained in the absorption tank 10. Any the top of the tank through the line 36'-a controlled by a valve 37. A liquid overflow line is supplied for the tank at 38, controlled by valve 39. The distillate in the receiving tank may be drawn ofi through the pipe 40 controlled by a valve 41, orreturned for retreatment in the system through the line 42 controlled by a valve 43, whereby it may be introduced to the charging line 13. Thus under certain conditions, the distillate may be utilized as a refluxing medium either in combination with the raw oil or without the raw oil. In the latter instance, it would necessitate the closing of the valve 44 in the line 12.

The oil body in the tower is kept in a turbulent condition and the carbon in suspension, by an agitator consisting of a vertical shaft 45 upon which are positioned vanes or blades 46. ,In addition to keeping the oil in agitation, these vanes are so positioned that they serve as scrapers along the bottom and sides of the tower.

Below the conversion tower is positioned a coking still 5. Between the tower and the still is a valve arrangement shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Between the lower flange of the tower and the upper flange of the inlet pipe to the cokin still is placed a valve plate 47. This valve plate is perforated as excess gas may be drawn off from shown at 48 by cut-out sectors or apertures with which the aperture 49 in the valve 50 registers in its rotation due to its being fixedly mounted upon the shaft 45. Thus as the valve 50 rotates in consecutive registration of the port 49-with the ports 48, the residual hydrocarbon products from the bottom of the conversion tower are discharged into the coking still. Although a rotating valve of this type is shown, it is understood that any suitable type of communication may be arranged between the tower and still in order that the oil in the conversion tower may be maintained under any suitable pressure, while the hydrocarbons undergoing treatment in the coking still are maintained under reduced pressure, orsubstantially atmospheric condition. Longitudinally of the coking still is mounted a shaft 51 which carries the agitating or scraper blades 52. These blades are pitched in a manner that in addition to keeping the oil or cokysubstance in agitation, also cause a movement of the materials from one end of the still to the other, that is, from the end of the still into which they are introduced to the opposite end from which the treated material is discharged. The residual substances introduced to the coking still through the rotatin valve arrangement explained, collect in the still and are ke t in constant agitation b the scrapers 52. hile in this coking still, t 10 hydrocarbon materials are subjected to the heat of the flue gases passing from the furnace 2 through the line pipe 53 in which is positioned a damper 54. and thence through the heating compartment 55 arranged around the lower portion of the coking still, or that portion in which the liquid products are contained. It is inadvisable to circulate the hot gases about the entire still due to overheating of the materials being treated. Vaporous products evolved in the coking still pass off through the vapor line 56 to a condenser 57 from which they may be withdrawn in liquid condition through line 58 controlled by valve 59. On the shaft 51 and shaft 45 respectively, are bevel gears 60 and 61 which serve to drive the vertical shaft 45 upon which the agitating scrapers 46 are positioned. The damper 54 m the fiue 53 may be utilized to control the quantit the coking still, and also in case of rupture of atube in the furnace to prevent the oil from passing into the flue and cause excessive heat or burning out the coking. still, which would result in large conflagration.

The heavy viscous residual substances may be withdrawn from the coking still through the drawotl line 62 controlled by a valve 63. During the initial stages of operation it may be advisable to recirculate certain of the hydrocarbon products discharged into the coking still, as the temperatures in the system may not have been such to effect proper of heated gases circulated about ously andv under pressures commensurate conversion. For this. purpose a line 64 is tapped into the bottom of the coking still wlth a communicating connection 65 to the suction side of the pump 27 whereby this oil may be circulated to the heating tubes until it contains an objectionable quantity of free carbonaceous material. Valves 66 and 67 are interposed in the lines 64, and 65 respectively, for controlling this flow.

The process furnishes a means for treating oil continuously and utilizing the heat of the system not onl to convert the oil into lower boiling point istillates, but also to treat residual material in a single operation.

The tower is so arranged that an effective and eflicient control of the oil fractions may 'be obtained, thereby regulatingwithin close limitations the character of the resultant distillate and recyclin only those portions of the unvaporized by rocarbons which do not contain any excessive free carbon material. The tower is preferably surroundedby an insulated shell 68, the upper part or fraction- 1 ating portion of the tower being separated by an. insulating ring 69 from the lower conversion portion. t will be understood that ventilating shutters may be provided in the upper portion ofthe insulating shell to give further control of the fractionating portion of the tower.

The system is preferably operated continuwith the requirements of the oil undergoing treatment. The cokingstill, as explained, is operated under substantially atmospheric conditions.

By treating a fuel oil of substantially Baum to temperatures ranging from 600 to 900 F., and pressures of substantially 125 pounds, a yield of from to of good quality low boiling point distillate maybe obtained. The residual substances may be relieved of their volatile contentby utilization of the heat in the flue gases, producing overhead products containing lubricating stock, while a coky viscous substance was continuously removed from the coking still.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. A process of converting hydrocarbon consisting in introducing the chargin oil to a 001 in a conversion zone, withdrawmg the oil from said pool and passing it'through a heating zone and there raisin it to a conversion temperature, directing t e heated oil to the conversion pool, subjecting the vapors evolved to a refluxing and condensing action, passing the unvaporized products to a coking zone, distilling the unvaporized products under reduced pressure conditions in said zone by the heat of the partially expended flue gases from the heating zoneyand maintaining the hydrocarbon products in the conversion pool and cokingizone a turbulent condition to prevent deposition of the free carbon.

2. In an apparatus for converting hydrocarbons, the combination with a conversion tower having a vaporizing portion below and refluxing means above, means whereby the charging stock is introduced to a pool of oil maintained in the vaporizing portion, means for removing fluid hydrocarbons therefrom, and directing them in an uninterrupted stream through an elongated passageway'ina heating means, connections for returning the heated fluid hydrocarbons from said passageway to the vaporizing portion of the conversion tower, a coking still and automatically operating means for transferring the carbon laden unvaporized products from the vaporizing portion of the conversion tower thereto, condensing means for the overhead products evolved in the conversiontower and coking still, means for utilizing the partially spent heat of the flue gases from the heating means for distillation in the coking still, and means for maintaining differential pressures upon the conversion tower and coking still.

3. In combination with an oil cracking apparatus, a, conversion chamber and a coking chamber, agitating means disposed within said conversion chamber, agitating means within said coking chamber and a common means for driving both said agitating means,

and means associated with said agitating means for efi'ecting a communicatlon be tween said conversion chamber and said coking chamber to permit residue to pass from said conversion chamber to said coking chamher.

disposed within said coking chamber, a c0m-- mon means for driving both of said agitating means and means associated with the agitating means in the conversion chamber for controlling the delivery of residue from the conversion chamber into the cokin chamber.

5. A process of converting hy rocaabons, comprising introducing the oil to a pool of substantial depth in a conversion zone maintaining a refluxing zone above said pool, withdrawing the oil from a high point in said pool and passing it to a heating zone, heating the oil therein toa conversion temperature, introducing the heated oil to the conversion zone substantially-above the liquid level in said pool and below said refluxing zone, passing unvaporized products from a'low oint in said pool to a coking zone, and distilling the residual substances in said coking zone with removal and condensation of evolved vapors.

6. In combination with an oil cracking apparatus, a conversion chamber, a heating zone, means for passing oilfrom said con- 1 o 4 masons/s version chamber to ssimi heating zone s coking chamber, means f0? passing nnvaporizedi oil from said conversion chamber to said. coking chamber, means for removing and re- 5 fluxing vapors evolved firom the oii in said conversion chamber, means for passing oil from said heating zone to said conversion chamber, and means for passing oil from said coking chamber to saidi heating zone during 10 the initisi stages of the cracking operation. ALFRED Q ERLE 

